Uncertainty
by killmesoftly.luv
Summary: In his 26 years old birthday, Francis gets his 'present' in form of delinquent Briton that he must take care until he's 18 years old. As time goes by Francis feels uncertain and insecure about his feelings and their 10 years age gap.


**Uncertainty**

A/N: Wrote this a long time ago when I was hanging on tumblr being derp and I'm going to put it here. Basically AU one shot where Francis is a baker and Arthur is a student under Francis' protection and his insecurities about their age gap. The ending and Arthur's feelings...I leave it to you, because I feel uncertain myself hahaha...

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><p>Francis sighs as the door slam, he put his thumb and index finger on his nose bridge, giving it a little pressure to shun the headache and the urge to yell and curse. They fight again; the adolescent is in his time to rebels. He stares at the notification from his school, granting him a good information about three days detention for his protégée that had caused a havoc by fighting with the other school's students - it is a miracle that the principal still trusts him to study inside the school he leads.<p>

He rummages through his desk and drawer to find his pain killer, his salvation in the time like this but he can't find it, he groans in frustration just in time when his employee informs him that the bread already finished.

Francis walks reluctantly to the kitchen he used to mix, knead and bake. He takes the breads delicately from the oven and delivers the warm tray to the front, where all his work displayed and favored by their customers. As the customers start to pour inside the small bread shop, lured by the good smell of freshly baked cake, Francis still can't forget the fight before.

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><p>He met him by the age 15 and he was 5, their parents were close but that was his first time to meet the family because his parents prefer to stay at the country where their family tree began. The boy's parents were nice and the boy himself was a bundle of cuteness, he followed him everywhere and played hide and seek, until the little one cried because Francis hid himself in perfect place.<p>

He forgot about the boy until a day before his 26th birthday, a stranger rang the bell of his flat.

That stranger had a strict face, a crooked nose and almost balding head. They sat inside Francis' room, he served coffee but that man said it didn't necessary since he only came to read a will.

Confused on what going on he has sipped his coffee and listened, one by one as the lines from the will pouring down like rain from the man's who-looks-like-an-attorney chapped lips. In the end, Francis resumed that he would have to look after the boy he only met once because that boy's parents who were close friends with his parents died in accident, and they made his parents as the boy's protector if they left the world but too bad Francis parents already passed away - both of them - but it seems the responsibility passed on to him.

"Only until he's 18." the attorney closed his suitcase. "After that Monsieur, you can ask him to leave." Then he went and disappeared.

The next day, the boy arrived. Sour faced, no sadness drawn on his face he even still can bad mouthing his parents. Francis raised one of his eyebrows.

"Are you sad? Your parents died at your birthday, right?" which resulted him splash of water on his face and a slamming door.

As time goes by, he realized that the boy was a menace maker. He ganged up with the best delinquent the city can offer, went to the shady club even though his age hadn't hit the legal word and a heavy drinker. He couldn't stop him, that boy worked in his own rotation, a rotation that never includes Francis in its circle.

Until one day, in the silent dinner Francis asked the question, "Do you hate to live with me?"

He looked up lazily from his soup; with his green eyes he half mocked him. "Of course, who will be happy to live with an old man like you? You're always trying to pry on my business..." Francis put his dining utensils aside; his thumbs started to rubs the side of his index fingers unconsciously. "But I will always be here anyway; you're the only person who can keep up with my crap."

Francis blinked and smiled a little as the high-schooler stood and brought his plate to the sink.

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><p>But then again, today both of himself and younger boy had a half-side argument, half because of the detention and half more caused by his coming age, 18 years old and the boy already decided to leave his flat, maybe renting a cheap one with his close friend.<p>

This boy has a very close friend that he often brings to his flat, play games until morning, sleeping on each other's stomach and sometimes lending clothes even though it is obvious for the boy that his body is way too smaller than the other's. Upon seeing how they interacted, there is a pang in his heart that tells him that both of the younger boys involved in love and he doesn't like it.

He told himself that what he might feel is not jealousy, the boy is 10 years younger than him and it's only the brotherly feeling he owned, he's the boy's proxy after all. But today, when the boy said he wants to move out with his 'friend' Francis snapped.

"I don't care where will you live or with whom you will spend your days, just- go away from my sight! Since the day you came to my life it's already ruined with all your troubles, now this...what is this? Detention because of quarrellings - again?" Francis threw his hands on the air.

The boy's face darkened and he almost flipped the office table (or Francis thought so) but to his surprise the King of Temper just walked away and slammed the door - that was unusual.

What if he doesn't go home again?

Will the room going to be empty again?

Will he spend his days talking to his dear cactus plant again?

No he doesn't want to be alone again!

He snaps back to reality when his employee handed him what he needs, the cigarette and information about the closing time, geez dozing really takes time indeed.

He bid his employees goodbye and locks the bakery shop. It was already dark and the night on July starts to warm a little even though it was raining on the evening.

Just a few blocks away from his store, he noticed the sandy blond hair and the light green eyes stare at him while a Gauloises - his favorite brand - caught between his lips (so there goes his missing stock). Steadying himself on the concrete wall, he said:

"What took you so long Idiot?"

Francis whom still cracking his own back with his hand, tilts his head in confusion, the boy's cheeks are red, and Francis notices the cigarette's butts surrounds him, did he wait for him?

"I thought you leave..." he keeps walking.

"No, I'm mad yes but I guess I don't want to leave..." He follows up.

The distinction smell of his favorite brand on the boy excites him, "Why? And you stole my cigarette"

"Fuck off, don't be stingy!" he stops, thinking. "I reconsider this because, you will be happy if I leave, I'm your parasite, when I leave, half of your problem will also go away"

"Precise." he doesn't slow down and so does the boy.

The green-eyed boy groaned, feeling the dissatisfaction of the older man's reaction, "Fine! I-I just don't want to leave...is that a good enough reason?" he pouts.

Francis stopped and turns around abruptly, facing the boy who is in the same height as him. "Does the reason involving me?"

He stuttered, "Yea- sort of...you're old anyway, you will need someone to- to take care of you..."

Both of them don't need any apology or forgiveness, words are too much. Francis gives the boy his wide smile and kiss the boy's temple before giving him a tight bear hug, the boy protests but soon envelops the older man with his own embrace.

"Come, let me cook for you, this is your birthday, right?" he said cheerily and twines his fingers with the boy. He's so happy even ignoring the fact that the boy he likes so much is wearing his friend's hoodie that obviously he didn't wear before.

**~the end~**


End file.
